The newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single tool required to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
That makes it an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though the real location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to note that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
